Improvement in key-boards foe pianos



jLeeers Paent No. 79,295, .1aed Jane so, 1868.

-"1M1 RovBMsNr' 1hrsr-B0ARDS ros PLANOS, et.

5 @Latlgrtnletefetttttn-iri thcseetlets-3ntnitzr1tt making mi nt'tlgt smite',

Be it known thatw'e, J.`S."'ALIl"r l-N and;1\. WILKIN-S, of- Allen-s Grove, in 'the county of Walworth, and State of Wiseonsin`, "haveinventednewand useful Improvements in Key-Boards to Piano-Fortes and other .TQALL WHOM 1T MAY eoivcunmtv-.fr

MusicalInstruments;andivo lo-hereby declarethat thc following is a-full, clear, and exact description thereof,

vthieh'will enable those-skilled in thelart'to make and use the' same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part. of "this specification. Y

l -The present invention consists iniadding tothe ordinary key-board now in ns'e two or more rows or seriesofshorter keys, which are lplaced immediately behind the-, long keys, and in -thosame horizontal therewith,I

through and by means'of which short keys 'a tone-'an octavev higher or lower, as the case, 'may be,vthan the-key directly in front ofit, canbe sounded', nd t'l1'u s",if tti-o additional keys are used, enabling a tone to be produced two octaves higher than theorigiualandfront key of ,the series. l v By this arrangement of thesupplementarykeys the" extremes of the gamut or scale are brought within easy reach of the hands, and thus manyco bi tions oftones'in musical compositions enabled to be sounded.

on the instrument, which, with -the ordinary ke ;oard s,'is impossible.

l In'the accompanying plate .of drawingsourfimprovements in keyboards to piano-fortes and other musical l Figure 1 being a planj or top view of aisection'ior series of vkeys'to which they are applied,

Figure 2 a transverse'werticalsection taken-in the plane vof -the line zum, 6g. 1, and I Figure 3a longitudinal.'verticalfseetioutaken in the plane of theline-y y, iig. 1. Similar lettcrsof reference indicate'f'crresponding parts. v v A, in'the drawings, represents a series of keysordevers, such as lare used in'piano-fortes.

A'.lhcse keys, at a point, B, between-theirinnerorfrear eu'ds,"0, and their linger-ends, D, are transversely divided into two sections or parts, E and F, that attheir division-line are hinged or otherwise hung together, so that if the key at its iingerend be depressed, its inner or rear end will lift or rise as' heretofore, while, without moving or disturbing the key at itsiinger-end, its inner or rear end can be raised or lifted as desired, if properly connected and operated therefor, andfor vaccotnplishing the purpose and object ot'` this intention, as will be hereinafter stated. if: I Y

G, two additional keys placed vto thea-retti: 'of the ordinary keys, A, and in the same plane therewith.

The first of the two inner keys,.'G, is uponit' s under side, arranged to bear upon one end of Ithc lever II, that, extending in an angular direction' to'tho'dength of the keys, passes to the rear portion of the key of the f key-board, an octave higher than thatat'whichit'he additional key is located, and to-such key, an octave higher,

itis connected through a cord, I, orlothcr lin'e,vso.that when the additional key, at its finger-piece, is depressed, the key to which. it is connected, an octave -higher in thc gamut, will b e lifted at its rear or back portion without disturbing or depressing'its-fiuger-'end. 'ftj 'L Thislever H, connecting the additi'oxiall key with a key of the board an octave higher, is -hung upon a The second additioalkey is-similarly connected through a diagonal lever, K, to a key of th' key-'boardto that above described forgthe iirst additional-key, but so as to form a connection with the key two octavos higher than the key oi' the key-board back ofi-which 'the additional key is located.

Weelaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent A key-board-to a piano-forteor other musical instrument, in which additional keys, whether. 'one or 'more series, are employed and arrange-d for operation upon the ordinary keys ofthe keyfboard, substantially as and' for the purpose described. 'J S. ALLEN,"

A'. P, WILKINS.

Witnesses:

Ilmenau Roenes, 

